All Because of You
by Dcal
Summary: [Complete][AU][LxC]Riku kidnapping Sora! Leon and Cloud are forced to join forces as they search for Riku and Sora who have gone missing. What sparks will fly between Leon and Cloud while they try to look for the two boys who just don't want to be found?
1. Default Chapter

**Dcal's note:** Hiya Minna-san! I am back with another fic about the characters in Kingdom Hearts! This time, the story is not about my favourite Sora/Riku or any other familiar characters I have written about before. The main characters of this story are Leon and Cloud.Why? Just because I have been wanting to write a Leon/Cloud fic for ages and Uzumaki-sama's contest just gave me a reason to put my other fics aside and work on LeonheartCloud! This chapter is just a short introduction explaining the plot of the story before I unveil the rest of my work. Let's start with the poem/free verse I have included as a start to the whole fic.

"All Because of You" is the title of this poem and also the title for this fic. You may not understand the meaning of the poem now but I hope that you would understand it by the end of the story. Now, as for the main story, it revolves around many intricate relationships with cameo appearances by various characters. However, the core of the story still dwells on the relationship between Leon and Cloud (and how could I resist having a little RikuXSora on the side?!). Well, Leon and Cloud happen to be strangers, in this alternate universe I have created, until a sudden event forces them to work together. But the thing is… will they remain together?

**All Because of You**

All because of you.

A dismal past

I often wonder

What is worth for me to pursue

Yet you unwittingly

Entered my life

With a faint smile

On your face

Your love

Your faults

I finally realize, can't be released.

The reason I am alive is all because of you.

Just for this destined arrangement of fate

And when I breathe just to love you.

You leave right in front of my eyes

In the cold night

There are no stars

A lackluster love

Leaving no scars

You are heartless

Not even leaving a note, a word

A departure without a care

Your rights

Your wrongs

I finally realize

How helpless, I can't let you go

The reason I am alive is all because of you

Just for this destined arrangement of fate

And when I breathe just to love you

You leave right in front of my eyes.


	2. The Day We Met

**All Because of You** The Day We Met.

* * *

"I am SIXTEEN! I CAN HANDLE MY OWN BLOODY LIFE!"  
  
"…"  
  
"DON"T stare at me LIKE THAT! I have DONE nothing WRONG!"  
  
"…"  
  
"I am NOT a KID anymore for Godsakes! You can't keep me here FOREVER!"  
  
A voice, raw with emotion, sounded throughout the two-tiered house. Sora gashed his teeth in exasperation. There was no talking to his father. He just could not get the message that little Sora was now a teenager who needed his own space. And all his father would do is keep silent, with his gaze reflecting nonchalance. He felt his eyes burn with frustrated tears. Sora's personality was often thought as one that did not allow him to sink into the depths of melancholy. But apparently, his optimistic and cheery nature could not withstand the power of raging teenage hormones. Puberty has caused Sora to suffer from mood swings and extreme emotions that could rival Selphie's dramatic displays. Matters were made worst when his only parent, his father, could not understand what he was going through.  
  
"DAMN IT! You are not even MY REAL FATHER!"  
  
As soon as the words flew from his lips, Sora knew he had gone too far. But he would not apologize.  
  
"I know," the words were soft but still audible. However, Sora was too caught up in his emotions to catch the reply murmured by the only other person in the room.  
  
Unable to deal with the confrontation anymore, Sora turned and ran up to his room, slamming the door as a final statement.  
  
XXXXXX  
  
As he watched the younger boy stumble up the stairs, Leon relaxed and sunk into his favourite chair. His eyes closed the moment he heard the rafters tremble from the impact of Sora abusing his room door. Everyone told him that raising a kid was hell but Leon had thought they were all joking. Sora had been a lovely kid, always out to please. But recently, the sweet child who could once be placated easily with a single cookie had morphed into an emotional roller coaster that Leon could not handle. _They should have told me that raising a teenager was hell… _ _  
_  
He wished he were back in the service dealing with enemy troops in mortal combat. _At least then, I could legally strangle anyone that pissed me off. _  
  
Somewhere in the depths of a heart Leon was not aware he had, stirred an emotion both sweet and sour. Leon felt proud that Sora was becoming more independent and that he no longer needed his father to tie his shoelaces. But Leon was very afraid of Sora leaving him. Unwittingly, he had come to love the little blue-eyed boy with amusing spikes for hair. _Ha ha Leon, look at what a mother hen you have become. What would happen if the boys back in the force found out about this? Seifer would have a ball_  
  
Leon knew he should do something about the situation. It was quite evident that he did not know how to relate to a sixteen year old.  
  
For starters, Leon did not even know what the confrontation was about.

XXXXXX

It was almost nine when Leon realized that Sora would not be coming down for breakfast. Usually by this time, the father and son would be at the small dining table having a simple meal of toast and egg made by whoever woke up earlier. Leon had reached the empty kitchen and proceeded to whip up two sets of breakfast since Sora was nowhere in sight and presumably still in bed. _Maybe he is too shy to come down for breakfast… considering what happened yesterday… _Thus, Leon took the initiative and walked up to Sora's closed door.  
  
Taking in a deep breath to steady himself, Leon positioned his clenched fist against the wood of Sora's room door. After he was sure he was in control of his emotions, Leon knocked onto the dark wood and asked, "Sora? What's taking you so long?"  
  
No answer.  
  
A glint of impatience flashed in Leon's eyes.  
  
"Sora?"  
  
Still no answer.  
  
After a third try, Leon crossly opened the door as he lectured, "What do you think you are doing? Making me…." He paused, "Sora?"

Leon's narrowed gaze scanned the room. Books scattered around the carpeted floor. Random CD cases left open and empty littered a study table. Surprisingly, the single bed was made, and had obviously not been slept in the night before. Leon's blue stare swerved to the right. A wardrobe left open and empty hangers hung without any of the red t-shirts that Sora always insisted on wearing. The travel-sized backpack that Sora loved to tote around was also missing from its position against the wall under a poster of the Blitzball team Sora supported. And most importantly, the room was empty, save for the mess Sora left behind.  
  
Leon stood rooted to the spot, his brain unable to comprehend the fact that Sora had ran away from home. _It couldn't be! I would have heard him walk past my room..._  
  
A cool sea breeze ruffled the linen curtains that lined the open window in the room, as if mocking Leon.  
  
Sora had escaped from the house through the open window.XXXXXXCloud stood in front of the fogged up bathroom mirror. The blonde was in the buff save for a thick towel wrapped around his waist to preserve some semblance of modesty. Using a wet hand, he wiped a stroke of water vapour off the clouded mirror. Cloud did not have narcissistic tendencies. However, he could not help but wink at his own mirror image because he was looking too good to let it go unmentioned: the reflection revealed a face flushed and fresh from a morning shower. Pairs of sky blue eyes stared at each other, mimicking the glint of mischief that made the gaze just so special. His upper torso was tanned to the shade of honey bronze and sculpted to lean perfection from the active outdoor exercise regime that Cloud followed religiously, clad in only his silky running shorts. Drops of water dripped from the tips of his golden hair onto his bare chest. For once, Cloud's hair was not styled into dangerous punk spikes but flattened into a deceptively straight sheen of gold.  
  
Finally, he broke off from his self-appraisal and felt about for something to wear. Damn. Apparently, he had forgotten that having a shower usually required a change in clothes and did not prepare a set to wear. Thus, he was left with the decision of re-wearing his dirty pajamas (with cute prints of white skulls on black cotton) or wandering out into the hallway and back into his room to fetch something clean to change into. Cloud being Cloud, obviously chose the second option and had no qualms about strutting around the house in near nothing. After all, the only other people in the house were his kid brother and another nameless stranger the former brought home the night before.  
  
Cloud walked past his sibling's room with the sign "Screw off Strife" (complete with graphic illustrations) emblazed in blood red on a placard nailed onto the door. Three strides later, he arrived in front of his own room and was about to step into his den when he heard frantic knocking on his apartment door. Cloud contemplated leaving the irate visitor stranded on the other side of the main door but he eventually decided to risk hypothermia and answer the door.XXXXXXLeon was just about to break into the blasted apartment, when the door swung open. So instead of breaking a wooden door down with the entire force of his weight, Leon ended up crashing into the person who opened it.  
  
Cloud only had a split second to blink before a blurred figure knocked the air out of his lungs by falling straight on top of him. His bare back met the cold marble floor and he thought he heard something crack. For a moment that felt like forever, Cloud thought he was going to die from the excruciating pain coming from the spot under his ribcage where Leon's elbow had dealt the greatest blow.  
  
With his dark brown fringe covering his eyes, Leon could not see Cloud's face contort into pure horror as the brunette recovered from his initial shock and struggled to get into an upright position. "Don't. Move. Damnit!" Cloud's voice was strained from the pain he felt. Leon was unwittingly creating more bruises on the blond haired man's bare skin while trying to sit up. Leon paused, looking down to see Cloud's tortured expression, his hand grazing the skin below Cloud's shoulder blades. Against his will, Cloud shuddered. He could not tell whether it was the blue-eyed stranger's touch or the cold draft sweeping in from the opened door. As their eyes met, both men froze.  
  
A Gunblade could neatly slice the thick tension between the two.

XXXXXX

Kairi needed some sugar since Tidus and Selphie had wiped out her entire hoard of sugar cubes (two family-sized boxes worth) during their last visit to her apartment. She knew inviting the two over for a tea party was not a fantastic idea but it was pretty monotonous just having tea by on her own. _Would you like a cup of tea Kairi? My, my, I wouldn't dare say no to your tea Kairi. Your brew is utterly delightful, Kairi. Yeah, I can't make a decent conversation with myself… _Anyway, she now had to leave the comforts of her home to buy some sweetener from the shops. Somehow or other, scones do not go well with bitter tea.  
  
Her sneakers made squeaky noises on the hallway flooring as she walked briskly past apartment No. 293. Two steps later, she paused. Something did not feel right. The girl walked back two steps. She turned her pretty head and saw: an absolutely gorgeous man, clad in a tight, tight white t-shirt with butt-clinging leather pants adorned with kinky belts. And he was sprawled over the hot blond that lived in that apartment. _I knew he wasn't straight…_Kairi's lashes fluttered as she kept the urge to swoon at bay. She misinterpreted the scene before her as something from the pages of one of those novels she secretly kept in the depths of her underwear drawer. She never thought that she would have an opportunity to chance upon such a thing ever! A telltale blush appeared on Kairi's cheeks as she carried on gawking at the two men. All thoughts of her task at hand evaporated.  
  
Before Kairi could rush back to her apartment to grab her camera (she needed pictures!), the brunette turned and cast his blue gaze upon her heated face_. Damn, not only does he have a nice ass, he has such a sexy frown too! Damn that Cloud, how did he get so lucky?! _  
  
"Erm… ha ha… Ignore me… I … I'm just… passing by… Carry on! Carry on!" Kairi encouraged the two hot guys to continue with _what_ they were doing. She had no intention to take her eyes off the two for fear that she would miss something. She was persuaded that maybe it was not such a good idea to stay when the moody brunette's expression changed into something positively murderous. It seemed that it would be much safer just returning home to pen down this encounter into her online journal. Flashing the hunky stranger a shy smile, Kairi cast one last look of longing at the two guys (still lying on top of one another) before scampering back to her apartment.  
  
Of course, she forgot about the sugar.

XXXXXX

While Leon was contemplating murder of the overtly curious redhead, Cloud felt the initial fires of pain turn into a numbing ache. It was high time he got the stranger (albeit a very good-looking stranger) off him. The blond had a very strict policy about whom he slept with. He wouldn't let any guy touch him until they have had their third date and so far, this "visitor" has already violated Cloud's personal rule of "see-no-touch".

"Ahem," Cloud cleared his throat in an attempt to capture the stranger's attention. He succeeded.

Leon turned his gaze onto the blond he was sitting on.

"Don't you think it's time you got off me?"

"You told me not to move."

"Well, I changed my mind."

"…"

"You weigh a ton. Get off!"

The brunette shrugged and tried shifting his weight to secure some balance, before attempting to stand up.

"Don't move!"

"You said move."

"Well, try moving without having to stick your knee into my gut!" Cloud cried. The pain Leon had once again inflicted on the blond caused tears to sparkle in Cloud's eyes.

Leon's expression visibly darkened at Cloud's complaint. Well, sensitivity was not really one of his best qualities was it?

"Do you want me to move, or not?"

"Yes… NO! Wait… okay… it doesn't hurt that much anymore… Now, move carefully!"

With one swift move, Leon stood up.

Cloud waited and waited. He was expecting the raven-haired stranger to offer some assistance in getting up. But Leon did not seem to understand courtesy.

"Ahem"

"What?"

"Aren't you going to help me up?"

Reluctantly, Leon offered a gloved hand to Cloud.

Taking full advantage of the assistance offered, Cloud dragged himself up and forgot to let go of the hand till he felt Leon's hostile stare. _Urgh… Jerk. _

XXXXXX

Leon was getting impatient.

He had not gotten much sleep on the hard motel bed the night before. He checked into a cheap highway motel after he realised that he could drive no further without risking crashing into the nearest road sign. The lady at the counter was too friendly with him and refused to let go of Leon's hand when he tried to take the room key from her. The brunette blatantly refused the older lady's advances by activating his deadly stare. However, the lady mistook Leon's death stare as being shy and her grubby hand wandered up his shirt. Leon was at a loss at what to do and could only try to keep his shirt from being ripped into shreds by the anxious motel lady. Thankfully, a burly 6"8 tall man with an unshaven chin walked into the room and told his wife to stop harassing the customers. It was only then that Leon was able to escape from the counter lady's unsavoury attention.

The room was painted (?) a gaudy green and it reminded Leon of the putrid green pea soup they served back at the military cafeteria. He highly suspected that the motel owners were underpaying their room service staff (either that or the cleaners went on strike). There were still a few empty pizza boxes and crushed beer cans littered on the dusty floor. Leon started to think that maybe sleeping in his jeep would have been a better alternative when he spotted a few roaches conducting a public rendezvous amidst the rubbish around the overflowing dustbin.

Yet, Leon was too damn tired and would rather slum it with a bunch of harmless cockroaches than risk another bout with the frisky receptionist in order to get back to his jeep. Instead, he spread his leather jacket onto the deceptively clean bed and slept on the soft leather. Leon was tired physically, but mentally, he was going into over drive as he tried to figure out why Sora had ran away.

XXXXXX

Sora had ran away from home, leaving only a cryptic message:

_ "You don't love me anymore! _ _ Your ex-son, Sora"_

This first thing that Leon felt was shock, which was closely followed by guilt and it ended up with him feeling as worried as hell. _Where could Sora have gone?!_

Images of adorable Sora hitching a ride with a psycho killer, or Sora being sold into slavery (?!) coloured Leon's vivid imagination. He had to go after his son but he did not know where little Sora went. Thus, Leon took the liberty of ransacking boy's room, as it was the most likely place to find any indication to where Sora may be.

The only clue he had to Sora's whereabouts was what he could deduce from hacking into Sora's desktop computer. He had found a saved chat under a folder labelled "Private". Though the file was password-locked, Leon easily broke the code after typing in permutations of Sora's name (Sora/Oras/Raso/Asor etc…). The saved chat was between Sora who was called "spikey-boy", and a person that went by the nickname "Silver".

The gist of the conversation was that Sora had planned on running away, and "Silver" had given him his address.

Leon had the address scribbled onto scrap piece of paper before grabbing his wallet, cell phone and car keys for an impromptu road trip. On route to the city where the address was located Leon called Yuffie on his cell phone and ordered her to take care of house and feed the dog. _Even in times of emergency, one had to remember to take care of the practical stuff._

XXXXXX

When he woke up at the break of dawn to find the ceiling of his motel room leaking (from a flood in the room above), Leon gave up trying to go back to sleep and decided to get back on the road. It took him two hours to get to the city, where he was caught up in the rush-hour traffic. After a gruelling battle with ferocious cab drivers and late office workers, Leon turned into a street called "Destiny Isle" and searched for a spot to park his worn out jeep. By the time he found somewhere that was not taken or illegal to stop, it was already mid afternoon and his stomach was grumbling from ill treatment.

Taking scrap paper out and verifying he had gotten the right location, Leon walked into the building.

The place was posh and Leon could tell that the tenants of the building must be pretty wealthy to afford plush carpeting covering the spiral stairways and air-conditioned corridors. It made Leon wonder what sort of person "Silver" was and what trouble Sora has gotten into.

He told the guard at the door that he was looking for a specific apartment and was promptly directed the correct stairs to take. As he hurried up the carpeted steps, his imagination went wild with scenarios that he thought Sora might be caught in._ He could have been lured into the home of a perverted old man with a fetish for adorable young boys like my Sora… or even worse,, Sora __could be__ being forced to… to… _

With more graphic scenes popping to mind, Leon was in near panic when he arrived the apartment he had been searching for. There was no doorbell so he was able to vent his anxiety against the innocent door. He received no immediate response and proceeded in his attempt to break down the down.

He had not expected to fall onto Cloud.

XXXXXX

"What the hell do you think you are doing in here? Were you about to break down my door?! Can't you even apologize for crashing into me? What were you trying to do in the first place, Trespasser? Kill me? Hey! Who said you could sit on that couch!!! It's my favourite lounging spot! NO! Take off your shoes! Do you hear me? You are stepping all over the white rug!!! Mom will kill me!" Cloud railed against the brunette.

Leon ignored Cloud, oblivious to the fact that he was trespassing on private property. It was a pretty ridiculous picture that Cloud made: Ranting at a non-responsive stranger and forgetting that he was clad in only a towel, hung precariously on his hips.

There was only one thought on Leon's mind. "Where is my son?"

Cloud blinked, the question came from out of the blue and it caught him off guard. "Eh? What sun? You can't see the sun if the curtains are drawn."

No reply.

"Oh… _my Son_? Your son…" an incredulous look plastered itself onto Cloud's face. "We have a son?"

The reply Cloud got was a frosty blue look that made the blond feel downright stupid.

"You have a son?"

"Where is Sora?"

"Eh? Sora…" The name was distinctively feminine and since this stranger had a son, the logical conclusion was that Sora was this man's wife. "Your wife?"

"No. My son," Leon paused, "I am not attached."

Cloud did not know why, but he felt his heart skip a beat when he heard that "Sora" was not the brunette's wife. _Does that mean he is single? Do I get a chance… Waitaminute. What the hell am I thinking?!_ He gave his head a little shake. Apparently, he must have knocked his head hard during the fall to start contemplating his chances with the dark and moody stranger.

A wave of cool air blew through the opened door. Cloud shuddered and looked down at his very bare self. Chewing on his bottom lip in embarrassment, he turned away from Leon and muttered, "I am going to get something to wear. DON'T you dare move from that couch!"

The blond man paused just as he was about to step into his room, "Your name is?"

"Leon"

"And I am Cloud. Now that we can be considered acquaintances, would you mind closing the front door for me?"

The brunette gave Cloud an irate glare but stood up to do the latter's bidding. Cloud grimaced at his apartment door being slammed closed before stepping into the privacy of his bedroom.

While the time slipped by as Cloud took his own sweet time dressing up, Leon took the opportunity to calm himself. Logically, he knew he was being an ass to the poor, underdressed blond. However, rationality took a vacation the moment Sora ran away and Leon did not know how to deal with the current situation except by behaving cold and anti-social. He was afraid that if he let his emotions go for one moment, he would not be able to handle the consequences. With a heavy sigh, Leon collapsed again onto the soft couch (without taking off his leather boots). He closed his eyes, the weariness engulfing him as he was pulled into a dream state of mind.

XXXXXX

_"Papa! Papa! Look at me!" a sweet child's voice called out to Leon._

_Leon turned from the papers he was reading to look at the little boy seated behind a low table covered with bottles of paints and coloured paper. On his left cheek, the boy had two streaks of green paint smudged on his rosy skin. Leon smiled. _

_"What do you have there Sora?"_

_The little boy's blue eyes sparkled like the glitter that was scattered among his spikey brown hair. "A card! For you!"_

_"For me? Why?"_

_"Because I love you Papa!" _

_Leon took the paper card from his son's chubby hands. For the first time in his life, Leon felt is vision blur from the sudden burst of emotion he felt for the adorable boy before him. _

_"Papa papa! Are you crying? Don't cry!! I didn't want to make you sad…"_

_Leon didn't know whether to cry or laugh at his son's absolutely lovably words of concern…_

XXXXXX

Cloud had gone back to his room to put on fresh underwear, a sleeveless black turtleneck top and a pair of denim jeans. With half a bottle of hair wax and twenty minutes in front of his mirror, Cloud's flaxen hair had resumed to its famous spiked hairdo. While his hands worked their way mindless to shape each individual spike of wheat gold hair, Cloud's mind wandered to the newly acquainted person in his living room.

Despite a degree in psychology, Cloud was hopeless at reading people. However, his amiable and energetic personality has proven to be a reliable tool in making him a success in many social circles. Though he did not know what the moody stranger in his apartment wanted, Cloud thought that it would the natural thing to do if he made an effort to understand Leon (and of course, the bit about Leon being terribly attractive did help Cloud in his decision to get to know the brunette better). Thus, Cloud took one last look at his reflection in the mirror and put on a friendly smile before returning to living room to confront Leon.

XXXXXX

Leon felt fluttering fingertips brush against his tensed brow. The warmth that radiated from the gentle touches tickled him and he could not keep a smile from escaping to his lips. Semi-consciously, Leon's hands caught the playful fingers that caressed his face. He heard a soft gasp and his smile widened. Without opening his eyes, Leon thumbed the palms he had imprisoned in his own. What he expected was the soft and nimble fingers belonging to his little Sora His mischievous son liked to tease him when he was trying to take a lazy afternoon nap. But Sora did not have hands that fit perfectly intertwined with his own fingers. Sora did not have hands that felt as warm as the sun on a spring morning. Leon snapped open his eyes to find Cloud looking bewildered at him, before both their gazes drifted down to their interlocked fingers. It took two full seconds before something clicked in Leon's brain and he jerked back his hands, releasing Cloud's own fingers.

Cloud did not know what drove him to do what he did. All he knew that he could not resist the urge to smoothen the slight wrinkles (caused by his worry for Sora) on the sleeping man's face. Embarrassed by his action, Cloud's baby blue eyes fell to a spot on the white rug beneath his unclad feet.

"Do… do you want something to drink?"

The quiet brunette barely nodded his head before Cloud took his cue to escape behind the kitchen counter on the other side of the living room.

In an attempt to chase away the vestiges of sleep that he felt, Leon shook his head and stood up to do a slight stretch. Then, feeling much more sociable than he was before he had his little nap, Leon walked to seat himself on a barstool placed in front of the kitchen counter and watched Cloud pour them both a glass of milk each.

Leon picked up the glass that Cloud offered him and just before his lips touched its rim, he paused and said, "Sorry for intruding."

Replying with a soft smile, Cloud said, "Apology accepted."

An awkward silence descended upon the two.

"So… why are you… here?"

It took a while before Leon could gather his thoughts and reply the curious blond. "I am looking for my son."

"Ya ya, I got that," Cloud nodded.

"… He ran away…"

"He did? Why? How old is he? You must be worried sick!"

"If you are going to keep interrupting me, how am I going to tell you what happened?!"

"Okay… sorry. My bad… carry on, carry on…"

"His name is Sora. He just turned sixteen two week ago…"

"Oh hell! How old were you when you had him!?! You can't be past thirty!"

A cold stare, Cloud got the message and shut up.

"I am twenty seven. Sora is not my real son but my foster son. You don't need to know the details."

"Oh… alright."

"As I was saying, he ran away and the only clue I have about his whereabouts is this address." Leon took out the scrap piece of paper with Cloud's address on it.

"I don't know anybody called Sora… could you describe him?"

"He is this tall," Leon indicated to the space beside his shoulder. "Light blue eyes, baby-face, fair-skinned and a head full of spikes."

Cloud pointed to his own prized spikes, "Like mine?"

"No, his hair is naturally spikey."

"Ouch." Cloud brushed the 'hurtful' comment aside and said, "Well, I am pretty sure that there is no sixteen year old lurking around here… waitaminute… what does Sora usually dress in?"

Leon answered, "Any red t-shirt with a waterproof vest, silly crown-shaped necklace, balloon pants and sneakers."

"Does his sneakers happen to be really big?"

"Sora makes me buy him shoes three times his shoe size."

"Do they happen to be submarine yellow?"

"…yes."

"Do you know how Sora got this address?"

Leon told Cloud about the online chat conversation.

"I think I know who 'silver' is."

Cloud stormed out from behind the kitchen counter and headed for his brother's room. The brat had some explaining to do.

"RIKU!"

XXXXXX

Muttering a couple of his favourite curses, Cloud kicked opened the door to his brother's room.

The room was simple, clean and… empty.

From behind him, Cloud heard the drawl in Leon's voice as he said, "Déjà vu. Looks like someone has gone missing too."

Everything started clinking into place in Cloud's mind as he recalled the events that occurred the night before….

XXXXXX

_… "Riku, are you sure it's alright that we do this?"_

_"Don't worry. My brother doesn't give a damn about what I do as long as we keep it quiet."_

_"Oh… okay."_

_Cloud was woken up by a whispered conversation. He squinted at the digital clock by this bedside and it was one in the morning. He had no idea what he little brother was up to but the fact was, Riku had woken him up from a nice dream. An irritated Cloud got up drowsily and walked into the hallway. _

_"Keep it down Riku!"_

_"Go back to sleep Cloud!"_

_Cloud grumbled to himself about how Riku should learn how to respect as he walked towards the kitchen to get something to drink. He did not realise that had fallen asleep against the fridge until he heard the heavy footsteps belonging to his brother and friend. Opening his eyes just slightly, Cloud was blinded by the luminous yellow of a pair of huge sneakers (okay, maybe he was exaggerating a little… but the shoes were really bright!). The shoes were nearly as large as the ones Riku likes to wear. The two boys were heading out the front door._

_"Where are you going?"_

_"We are going to take out the trash."_

_"Oh."_

_Cloud sleepily watched the boys leave before crawling back to his room and collapsing onto his bed._

XXXXXX__

"He told me he was just going to take out the trash!"

Leon had no idea what the blond was ranting about.

"I cannot believe that little monster took off and left!"

Leon just gave Cloud a questioning look.

"My _brother_ obviously ran away from home too."

"…and?"

"He took your son with him!"

It took a few seconds for Leon to comprehend what Cloud was talking about. When the brunette finally spoke, Cloud cringed at Leon's choice of swear words. Silence filled Riku's room while both men contemplated on how to deal with the runaway teenagers. Unable to tolerate stillness, Cloud spoke.

"So… what do we do now?"

"We?"

"Well, Riku is with your son isn't he?"

"…" The idea of working with Cloud did not sound appealing, Leon preferred working alone. Without noise_… or any distractions._

"Hey! Don't look at me like that! I am the innocent party here. Maybe even a victim too is my mom finds out that her prodigal son ran away with another guy…" Cloud decided that it was not a wise choice of conversation (judging from Leon's darkening expression) and swiftly changed the topic, "Well, what are we going to do?"

"We are going to find them."

XXXXXX

The bus was due to arrive in half and hour. Two figures waited patiently on a bench lined against the wall of the bus depot. The place was deserted save for the two teenagers and a station employee taking a mid-day snooze behind the ticketing counter.

Riku suddenly sneezed. Twice. Sora could not help but grin at the adorable expression left plastered on Riku's face because of the unexpected attack of sniffles. The silver haired teen turned his head away, he pale face flushed pink from the embarrassment felt. Sora's smile widened a fraction as he observed Riku's shy action. Moving closer towards Riku, Sora leaned sideways and whispered into his ear, "They say that when you sneeze once, someone is thinking of you. If you sneeze twice, then someone is longing for you."

Upon feeling Sora's warm breath against the sensitive skin behind his ears, Riku felt his face turn a sweet shade of strawberry red. After a heartbeat, Sora continued, with his most sincere voice, "Sorry Riku. For making you sneeze that is."

Before Sora could slide an arm around Riku's slender waist, the latter stood up and said, "Bathroom." Watching Riku disappear into the distance, Sora could not help but laugh out loud. _So far, this road trip is proving to be an interesting experience._

To be continued…


	3. I Couldn't Breathe

**Dcal's Note:** Since I missed out writing an author's note in the previous chapter, you are going to get a double dose of my raving...cackles But I will leave you to the story first, then bore you with my ramblings.

Disclaimer: (This applies for all chapters) All the Squaresoft/Kingdom Hearts characters mentioned in this fic do not belong to me. If you think they do, then you must be high on crack.

* * *

**All because of you:** I couldn't breathe.

With pen and paper in hand, Leon sat opposite Cloud who was sprawled on his favourite couch, head on his palms with his lips formed into a slight pout. Leon had ordered Cloud to think of all the possible places the two teenagers might be, since this was his territory. After thinking the matter through, Cloud realised that Riku was too much of a smart-ass to remain in town and he told the brunette so. Thus, they had to figure some other way to locate the boys. Leon frowned, deep in thought and Cloud never thought that he could find someone looking so serious and intelligent but incredibly sexy at the same time. The blond had to bite back the urge to drool like a lovesick puppy when Leon looked up those deep blue eyes of his. _Gosh, I barely know this guy for twenty-four hours and I already have the hots for him? _

"Do you think Riku might turn to anyone he knows for help? They can't possibly go far without money could they?" If there was one thing Leon knew about Sora, it was that his son had the natural ability to spend cash like water.

"Aha! Riku hasn't gotten his allowance yet and since he won't dare to use his credit card... hee... Oh... let me think who he might run to for help."

"Well, there is this orange haired bloke that likes to follow Riku around... I think his name is Wakkie... Wakky or something. Lives two blocks away. Riku may not ask any favours from that guy but I am pretty sure he would have some inkling of where Riku might have taken Sora."

"Let's go then."

Cloud and Leon decided to pay Wakka a little visit.

XXXXXX

When Wakka was making his way down the stairs to the street, he was surprised to find Riku's brother and another stranger looking for him. They were wondering if he knew where Riku had gone. The orange-haired boy could only shrug his shoulders to indicate that he had no idea where Riku could be. Curious over why Cloud would think he knew about Riku's whereabouts, Wakka asked, "Erm, what do you think I know where Riku is ya?"

Cloud honestly replied, "Well, I always see you hanging about Riku and sort of figured that you might know where my brother went."

The blond's response garnered a deep laugh from the chunky teen, "Ya know, I am recruiting players for my blitzball team. Your bro can play blitz pro ya! I've been trying to get him on my team for ages. Ha ha ha! Must seem like I am stalking Riku ya?"

Cloud smiled awkwardly (because he really thought Wakka was stalking Riku) and thanked Wakka for his cooperation.

Leon, standing quietly behind Cloud all this while, finally spoke, "Another dead end. Any other ideas?"

Cloud blinked. He knew Riku was not exactly a social butterfly and did not have many friends. Suddenly, an image of a ghost from the past flashed through his mind. If there was one person that Riku might turn to for help, it might just be _him_.

Their relationship had ended half a year ago because Cloud could not longer take _his_ possessiveness. Just being around _him_ made Cloud feel constricted and controlled. _He_ tried all kinds of things over Cloud's life by tracking his every move, every action. The final straw came when _he_ tried to buy over Cloud's family. Cloud didn't even know why he had a relationship with_ him_. _Maybe it was those emerald eyes, or that great body..._ The blond shook his head in self-disgust. It came as a surprise to Cloud to find out that his kid brother had taken a liking to _him _even after they broke up. He was worried at first that _he_ would resort to hurting Riku in some sadistic form of revenge. However, it seemed that _he_ and Riku could genuinely get along. _Figures, silver haired freaks._ Hence, if Riku needed some financial assistance to leave town, it must be _him_. After all, _he_ is one of the richest men in town.

XXXXXX

Cloud pushed Leon into his bright red Ferrari, ignoring the older man's silent protest. By the time Cloud had forcefully strapped Leon down to his seat, Leon had given up the struggle. The soft white leather of the luxury vehicle's seats felt uncomfortable to Leon as he was used the hard driver's seat in his jeep. Cloud rolled his eyes at Leon trying desperately to refrain from squirming in his seat as he started up the car.

"Why do we have to take your car?" Leon murmured.

"Didn't you abuse your car trying to get here?"

"It's a jeep, it'll last."

"Then, do you know where we are going?"

A momentary pause. "You could always tell me the directions."

"Do you think you could stay awake long enough to drive another 40 miles while listening to me chatter?"

A smirk appeared on Cloud's face as he reversed the car from the parking lot and steered it into an open lane.

"You just relax there, take a nap and let me do the driving. Or you can take the alternative which is to sit there and continue sulking as you are doing so now."

Leon crossed his arms and turned his face away from Cloud, who was humming a tuneless song to commemorate his success over the brooding brunette. Closing his eyes, Leon decided to take up the first option. At least that way, he would have enough strength to endure the mission they had embarked upon: to find Riku and Sora. Somehow, Leon could sense that working with Cloud would prove to be slow and torturous. These were the last thoughts on his mind before he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

He was not looking forward to waking up.

XXXXXX

Cloud knew he could have easily called _him, _and not travelled all the way across town, but he had the feeling it would be easier to deal with the person in question if done face to face. Cloud slowed down the car as he turned into the gates, which opened automatically, leading to a mansion at the end of a ridiculously long drive way. He stopped his car in front of the mansion and took off his seat belt. Cloud turned to his right to see Leon sleeping soundly.

"Wake up sleepy head." Cloud whispered as he prodded the resting figure beside him.

Leon growled in response and Cloud just could not help smile and relax a little. Up till now, he had felt tense at the thought of seeing his ex again. However, Leon's adorable snarl just made Cloud's day a little brighter. He never knew that a grown man like Leon would cling onto his safety belt protectively and act so childishly when being woken up. It was just another facet of this stranger he had not known until today. Then a thought hit Cloud, together with a strange feeling of warmth and confusion. _Now I know what people mean when they say love strikes you under the most unusual circumstances... _

Since it had become clear to Cloud that he wanted to get to know Leon much "better", he had to find a way to get into the brunette's good books (not pants... at least not yet). To do so, they had to find Riku and Leon's son. With a new resolution forming in Cloud's mind, he felt more confident in facing the silver-haired man who lived beyond the doors to the mansion.

Leaving Leon sleeping in the comforts of his Ferrari, Cloud walked up the steps to the front door of the manor. When Cloud was a few steps from the entrance of the mansion, the beautifully carved door opened. The blond man took a deep breath before walking in.

Sephiroth was expecting him.

XXXXXX

Cloud's jaw dropped when he walked into the atrociously huge living room filled with blood red roses. Amidst the sea of scented flowers was Sephiroth clad in a form-fitting tuxedo, holding a delicate bouquet of lilies.

"What the HELL do your think you are doing Sephiroth!" blasted Cloud the moment his senses returned to him.

Sephiroth took three strides and presented the beautifully arranged flowers to Cloud, "Lilies for the fairest of them all."

Rolling his eyes and taking five steps away from the silver haired man, Cloud asked, "What is this all about?"

"It's a fitting reception for the one I adore."

Even though Cloud did have a weakness for flowers, and especially lilies, Sephiroth's display was way overboard. Cloud was thankful that he had not had time to have any breakfast that morning. He was not feeling so well after Sephiroth's overtly sappy declaration. "How did you know I was coming to see you?"

"A lover would always know when his love seeks him."

Clear blue eyes narrowed as Cloud inched closer to the exit. _Maybe leaving was a safer option... _

"You are STILL stalking me?!"

The blond man shook his head in disbelief. Two minutes into this meeting and Cloud was already feeling emotionally drained and this was not a good sign for the things yet to come. Brushing the scattered roses off a velvet divan, Cloud sat down. As Sephiroth attempted to follow suit, Cloud halted him, "Sit further from me." He pointed to a royal purple settee across the room. "There."

Sephiroth wanted to protest but the look on Cloud's face told him that it would be a better idea sitting further away. Cloud was not in the mood for games and Sephiroth did not want to risk scaring him away. Both men in the living room were so engrossed in their own thoughts that they did not notice the sound of gunshots from outside the room.

With an exaggerated sigh, Cloud muttered, "Since you are still keeping tabs on me. You should know why I am here."

"You want to know where Riku is," replied Sephiroth knowingly.

Cloud nodded and was about to say more when Sephiroth interrupted, "I can tell you... but what will you give me in return?"

Now, this was a pretty complicated transaction. Knowing Sephiroth, Cloud did not have high hopes of getting away without paying a hefty 'price'. It would be to Cloud advantage if he let Sephiroth start the bidding and he bargain the 'price' down.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to return to me."

"Damn it Sephiroth! We have been through this before. It will not work out! Ask for something else!"

"It's the only offer I am going to make because... all I ever want is you."

Though Sephiroth's romantic declaration would make any weak hearted female swoon, the words just made Cloud feel slightly disgusted. Cloud stood up, "Well, I am not on offer so forget it. I don't need to put up with this."

"I can tell you where Riku is but I can just as easily take him away from you."

"What do you mean?"

Sephiroth smiled menacingly, "Your brother could be sent to one of my private islands on the south pacific where you won't be able to see him until say so."

"You're threatening me!"

"I will treat you kindly."

"This is ridiculous!"

The blond's frown deepened as he thought through his dilemma. He was not looking forward to 'sacrificing' himself for the sake of getting information. It was just horrible thinking of having to put up with Sephiroth extreme form of 'love'. Cloud did not want to drown in boxes of chocolates and candlelight dinners with background music playing the 'Come What May' over and over again for the rest of his life. Yet, he knew that it was important that he used this chance to help Leon find Sora.

Sephiroth just might really do something as crazy as whisking the two kids off to some faraway island where neither he nor Leon would be seeing Riku or Sora for the next twenty years. It looked like Cloud had no choice but to submit to Sephiroth's wishes.

Just as Cloud was about to admit defeat, he felt a warm arm slide around his waist. He turned and was surprise to find someone standing next to him.

Leon's sapphire gaze told him that everything would be all right.

XXXXXX

When Leon woke up, he found Cloud's red jacket covering him, left there as a gentle afterthought by Cloud before he left the car. Unconsciously, a smile teased the corners of his lips and it was the first time Leon felt truly relaxed and happy in quite a while. Ever since he had been having problems with Sora, Leon had not been able to smile. For so long, Sora had been Leon's only source of happiness. His life had revolved around work and Sora. Work gave Leon a sense of purpose, but Sora gave meaning to his life. It was as if the only reason that kept Leon from dying in mortal combat missions the military sent him on, was the fact that he was living for Sora. He was living just to be able to see Sora looking up to him as if he was the only thing in his liquid blue gaze.

However, Sora was no longer the six-year-old that needs to rely on Leon for his every need. Sora's world no longer revolved around Leon, and he was slowly losing his hold on the only reason he had for living.

Yet, when he woke up today with Cloud's jacket over him, Leon knew that something was different. It may have been sudden, but Cloud's presence made it possible for Leon to relax and fall into a deep sleep. Many years in the military forced Leon to be a light sleeper and it was seldom that Leon would let down his guard to the will of the sandman. _Maybe it's because I didn't get enough sleep the night before... argh. Who am I trying to kid? _Though he did not want to admit it, Leon knew that thoughts of Sora's disappearance had flickered in and out of his mind during his time by Cloud's side.

Instead of worrying about where his son might be, Leon's thoughts had centred on trying not to notice his growing uneasiness around Cloud. It was contradictory but the more Leon felt comfortable and relaxed around Cloud, the more awkward and scared he became.

Leon put aside his emotions for a while and decided to look for Cloud. He folded the red jacket neatly and placed it on the driver's seat before stepping out of the car. Using a gloved hand to close the door of the red Ferrari, Leon wondered how rich Cloud actually is... _and whether I can match up to him..._

The moment Leon stepped into the hall; he was ambushed by three of Sephiroth's henchmen. Though they caught him by surprise, Leon was fast to react and it took little effort to knock all three guards out. After all, Leon was one of the military's most decorated officers. He had completed many dangerous missions successfully and earned enough awards to cover his entire uniform. Even though he had moved up the ranks and no longer got involved in combat missions, Leon still regularly trained himself and was just as capable as anyone in the Special Forces under his command.

Another two guards appeared and they were armed. Leon dodged an ice attack and retaliated with a fire attack from his Gunblade. With two moves, Leon unarmed both men and rendered them unconscious. He picked up a gun that one of the guards was holding and scrutinized it. Leon then tucked it into the back pocket of his pants and walked towards what seemed to be the living room. He paused in his step when he heard the discussion between Cloud and Sephiroth.

Leon had did not want to interrupt their conversation but when Sephiroth started to threaten Cloud, he decided to take action.

XXXXXX

Sephiroth's eyes widened and questioned the dark-haired stranger who was touching his beloved Cloud, "Keep your filthy hands off my love! Who are you Intruder?"

Leon winked at the surprised Cloud and loftily lifted a dark brow, replying, "I am ..." Leon paused for dramatic effort, "his boyfriend."

"What?" Sephiroth and Cloud shouted simultaneously.

Cloud had no idea what happened to Leon. They could barely be considered friends and now Leon announces in front of his jealous ex that he was his boyfriend?! It was as if someone had possessed the brunette while Cloud left him sleeping in the car. The arm around Cloud's waist tightened, signalling the confused blond to keep quiet.

"But...but..." Sephiroth stammered as he scrutinised the stranger, looking for flaws to criticise. However, Leon had the looks, the body and the attitude. There was almost nothing Sephiroth could find to nitpick on and bring the unwelcome visitor down. _Unless..._

"But?" questioned Leon.

"You're shorter than Cloud!!"

"So?"

"Cloud, please tell me that you're not going out with someone shorter than you when you could have someone like me!!!" Sephiroth exclaimed, his precious composure in pieces.

Leon ignored Sephiroth who was crushing the bouquet of lilies within his hands as he whispered into Cloud's ear, "Missed me?"

Since Leon wanted to play things this way, Cloud was not so dense as to screw up Leon's 'performance'. Using both arms, Cloud mimicked Leon's embrace and wrapped himself around the brunette. Projecting his voice so Sephiroth was sure to hear him, Cloud laced his words with honey as he said, "Of course I did! I was wondering when you would come and save me from this silver-haired freak."

"Sorry for being late, I had to deal with goons that this guy left to guard the entrance." Leon explained whilst pointed towards a fuming Sephiroth.

Sephiroth had left his strongest henchmen at to protect his privacy with Cloud and this stranger managed to get past all of them? The owner of the mansion knew he could not take his love rival lightly.

"You can't be Cloud's boyfriend. I would know."

"Cloud and I have been going out for months now. Pity, your men don't seem to be doing their job. If you need some new bodyguards, I could introduce some good men to you."

"If you are so good, why do you need me to tell you where Riku is?"

"Ah, the difference is that Riku is still a minor and we don't want him to have any records."

_Records? Damn, this man must be involved with the military. _Sephiroth knew better than to mess with someone from the military, especially when he was involved in less than legal activities.

"I have stated my conditions. It's up to Cloud to decide whether or not he wants to find his brother."

"Ah... interesting... If you are so adamant about taking my boyfriend away from me," Leon shot Sephiroth his prized 'stare of death', "Then, I have to do something to stop you, don't I?"

Cloud frowned. He was worried that Leon might do something to offend Sephiroth. After all, the green-eyed man was quite a powerful and complex character to deal with. Leon felt Cloud's concern and in a voice so soft that only Cloud was able to hear him say, "Trust me." He nodded his blond head in response.

Twisting the remains of the bouquet of lilies he held, Sephiroth could not stand to see Leon and Cloud exchanging 'sweet nothings'. His eyes blazed with jealousy as he challenged Leon, "What can you do? I have the upper hand."

"Are you so sure?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think some of the people I work with will be interested in _this_." Leon pulled out his trump card.

Sephiroth felt the tips of his silver hair curl in disbelief at the sight of Leon holding out a modified revolver he had taken from one of the fallen henchmen. Apparently, Sephiroth had been dealing in the sale of illegal firearms (illegal because of incorporating magic abilities into civilian weapons) on the black market. It would mean the death penalty if caught by the military. As much as he wanted Cloud, he was not about to risk his entire career, and possibly even his life, for the stubborn blond.

"I can kill you right here you know." Sephiroth threatened, a last ditch attempt at regaining the upper hand.

Leon revealed his Gunblade. "Where is Riku?"

The Masamune blade appeared in Sephiroth's palm. "I don't need to tell you."

"Talk Sephiroth. Or it will be two against one." Cloud could no longer keep silent and he took out his Buster Sword.

With a sigh, Sephiroth surrendered. He did not want to go against Cloud.

Looking at Leon in the eye, Sephiroth bargained, "Keep what you know a secret and I will tell you where Riku is."

"Deal." Leon sheathed his sword as Sephiroth put his own blade away, with Cloud following suit.

"So where is my brother?" Cloud asked impatiently.

Sephiroth tossed his silver hair and answered succinctly, "I don't know." Before Cloud could start railing at him, Sephiroth continued to explain himself, "Riku called me yesterday night, asking if he could borrow some money. I asked him why but he didn't answer. I got suspicious and sent some men to tail Riku and his friend after they had gotten the money through speed post. All I know is that they bought bus tickets to Traverse Town and Kingdom Court. I think he must have sensed that I was onto him that is why he bought tickets to two different destinations. Both buses left at the same time and my men couldn't keep track which bus the two boys took as to do so would be too obvious."

Cloud nodded, it figures that Riku would try his best to kept him and Leon off his trail.

Tossing Sephiroth's gun back at the silver-haired man, Leon took Cloud's hand as he turned to leave. That was as much information they could get out of Sephiroth. Cloud murmured a soft 'good-bye' before following Leon's lead back to the car outside.

XXXXXX

When the two made their exit, Sephiroth called for his housekeeper to take care of all the flowers littered around the room. He then walked up a spiral stairway to his lavishly furnished room. Making his way to the glass windows that were half hidden behind heavy embroidered curtains, Sephiroth watched Cloud from behind the glass. His blond hair was rendered gold under the last light of the day's sun. His blue eyes sparkled with some indescribable emotion. The corners of his lips were uplifted into a dazzling smile. Cloud looked happy. Cloud looked the way he did when Sephiroth first met him.

They met a year ago at an evening ball that was held by Sephiroth's company. Originally, it was Cloud's mother who was invited to attend this event, but the lady had to make a sudden trip overseas so she sent her second son in her stead.

Despite Cloud's punk sense of style (which explains the hair) and casual attitude towards matters, he was essential brought up in a wealthy family and expected to live up to the high demands of being the second son. Cloud's older brother, Laguna, had the duty of handling the family business and thus, matters to do with socialising and appearing at public functions fell to Cloud.

When Sephiroth first saw Cloud, he was mesmerised by the young man's zest for life. The evening ball was usually a boring affair but Cloud managed to convince the crowd that it would be more fun if they put aside the dry talk about weather and business to enjoy the evening. Cloud managed to get the musicians to play some country music and he started doing some line dancing which was an instant hit with the crowd. Sephiroth could have easily put a stop to the havoc Cloud was creating. Yet, seeing the blond man flirt outrageously with dowagers of society and joke casually with the hired waiters, Sephiroth was amazed by the energy that Cloud possessed. He wanted Cloud. He wanted to possess the spark of life that Cloud radiated and make it his own.

He courted Cloud. At first, Cloud was not very receptive of Sephiroth advances. But Sephiroth was well skilled in the arts of seduction and managed to convince Cloud to at least give him a chance to prove himself. However, as time passed, it became clear that they were not meant to be. Cloud became unhappy because of the strain the relationship was having on him. The spark that Sephiroth longed to see in Cloud's eyes started to flicker and dim. Desperation caused Sephiroth to take one final step to make sure Cloud would not leave him. Sephiroth approached Cloud's mother and made an offer that she could not refuse in exchange for her approval for letting him be with her son. This turned out to be Sephiroth's biggest mistake, as he did not realise the grudge Cloud bore against his mother.

Cloud left him. Usually, it was he who was in the position of discarding his unwanted lovers. Yet, this time he was the one being ditched and he could do nothing because he did not want to risk hurting Cloud further. In the public's eye, Sephiroth has always been perceived as the shrewd businessman with no emotions and always got what he wanted. But, Sephiroth was never capable of capturing Cloud's heart. When Cloud smiled, it was never for him.

Up till now, Sephiroth had been trying to deny the fact that he was not the one for Cloud. He had this notion that he could get Cloud because he thought he loved him. What Sephiroth did not understand was that if he really were truly in love with Cloud, he would have been able to let Cloud go.

XXXXXX

"What was that all about?" Cloud asked Leon excitedly.

The car was back on the road and Cloud was dying to find out why Leon put up that act about being his boyfriend.

"Concentrate on the road," Leon was not interested in explaining himself.

"But Leon..."whined the curious blond before he was interrupted.

"I didn't want you to do anything you didn't want to just for the sake of Sora. It would have made me feel more indebted to you than I already am."

"Oh."

Leon could sense the disappointment in Cloud's voice. Hitting his head against an imaginary brick wall, Leon immediately regretted his insensitive words and set out to correct them, "But thank you for what you did."

"I... didn't do much. You were the one who got Sephiroth to talk."

"Let's just put everything aside for now and concentrate on finding Riku and Sora. Okay?" asked Leon.

Cloud thought for a moment and he unconsciously tightened his grip on the steering wheel before he said, "Okay. So where are we going?"

"I think we should split up."

"What? Why?" Cloud asked frantically. _I... I haven't got the chance to tell you... tell you that I want to know you better!_

"Let's be practical. The boys could have gone either to Traverse Town or Kingdom Court. Since we don't know where they could have gone too, we should go to both places and find them before they travel further."

Cloud knew that what Leon was telling him made sense. Sora was after all Leon's top priority and Cloud was just a mere acquaintance.

His voice was deceptively calm and collected as he answered Leon, "I'll drive you back to my apartment. Then you can pick up your jeep."

Leon nodded.

The rest of the journey continued in uncomfortable silence.

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Dcal's note: **Hmm... Sephiroth as Cloud's ex??? You probably saw that coming a mile away. How could I not include a psycho stalker Sephiroth into the fic? Wakka's cameo was a little bit included especially to make my beta-reader happy. I really want to thank Andrew (my beta) for putting up with stupid mistakes made while writing the fic half asleep. The "Leon pretending to be Cloud's boyfriend" bit? It was tribute to **Uzumaki-sama's** A Complete 180. I had Laguna be Cloud and Riku's elder brother because he was the only person that seemed to fic the role (Some other candidates for the role were Irvine and Cid... somehow... I don't think they would have fit.) You are probably wondering where Riku and Sora are... Now, now, save the fangirl thoughts for later. The boys will appear in the next chapter that is also the third and last instalment to the fic. It will be updated very, very soon so watch out for the final chapter! Okay, you have read my fic and I want to know what you think! So drop a review? It's just a click away! What are you waiting for? Review away! 


	4. You Leave Right Before My Eyes

**All Because of You:** You leave right before my eyes 

* * *

The sun had just disappeared beyond the edges of the city and sky grew black with the darkness of night. Street lamps came to life as sparks of light flickered within them. The lamps were the only source of illumination in the cold dark concrete jungle, where tall skyscrapers towered over the ground and blocked out the view of the night's sky to the urban dweller. A lonely black jeep was hidden beneath the shadows cast by the dull lights that lined the street. A red Ferrari turned into Cloud's street and easily found a parking space behind Leon's worn out jeep.

Leon unbuckled his seat belt and used a hand to pushed back the loose locks of hair from his face. Cloud had his head lowered, staring blankly at his hands that rested upon the steering wheel. Words that were left unspoken hung between the two men and all that could be heard in the intimate confines of the car was the low rumble of the air-conditioning. Separation was imminent, as they each had to take different paths.

The plan was for Leon to head for Traverse Town while Cloud went in the opposite direction, to Kingdom Court. If either of them were to find Riku and Sora, they would call each other via cell phone and keep an eye on the boys till the other arrives. A simple plan.

"You better go now." Cloud's voice was taut with pent up emotions he did not dare let go. _This is silly, it's not as if we will never see each other again..._

Leon hesitated before he nodded. He got out of Cloud's car and settled into his familiar jeep. After he started up the vehicle, he waited for a few seconds before steering the jeep into the centre of the street. As he drove on, he glanced into the rear view mirror and saw that Cloud was standing beside his car, looking straight at him. A sudden urge to be impulsive rose within Leon but he suppressed it. He could not stop driving now. He had to think about Sora and forget about the attractive blond with longing eyes and a sad smile. Driving all images of Cloud from his mind, Leon concentrated on the road. He had to find Sora first, and then he could think of Cloud.

XXXXXX

_He didn't look back._

He titled his head back and gazed at the sky, or at least the part not blocked by cold buildings. Disappointment flooded Cloud's2 senses as he got back into his car and sank into the driver's seat. There were no stars tonight. It was just an expense of blackness, a perfect match to Clouds feelings.

Cloud wanted to stop Leon. He knew that things would be different between them once the boys have been found because then, there would be no more reason for them to be together. For the first time in his twenty-three years of living, Cloud had found someone truly special.

In the past, Cloud had never been able to commit to anyone because of the simple reason that 'it did not feel right'. Despite having been in various types of relationships, Cloud never found what he wanted. He was a romantic at heart and believed that there was someone special in this world that was destined to be with him. Even though he has only known Leon less than twenty-four hours, he _knew._ Cloud was already rapidly falling in love with this stranger.

Watching Leon disappear into the night scared Cloud. Just when Cloud had realised that Leon was the one he had been looking for, he was leaving.

XXXXXX

It was mid-morning when Riku walked into Kingdom Court's Royal gardens. The weather was a bit cool and there was a light breeze. The greenery was fantastic with flower patches immaculately arranged into intricate patterns and trees pruned to resemble recognizable mythical creatures. But Riku was not here to admire the flora, here was here to find Sora. Riku found him under the shade of a well-aged oak.

"Ice-cream for breakfast?"

Sora tore his gaze from his chocolate chip and vanilla ice cream and looked up to see Riku towering over him. Riku had to force himself not to laugh at the cream beard around Sora's cherry lips.

"Want some?" Sora said as he offered a spoonful of the cold desert to Riku but the sweet offer was declined.

Riku was curious so he asked, 'Why the sudden craving for icecream?"

Shrugging his narrow shoulders, Sora replied, "I always wanted to try having ice-cream for breakfast but my dad never let me have something like this in the mornings. He said it would upset my stomach. So when I wake up with a craving for ice cream, I get oatmeal instead." Sora's thoughts drifted as he continued, "I never liked oatmeal and I almost always refused to eat it when it was on the breakfast menu. However, the only kind of oatmeal that I can tolerate is the kind that my dad makes. He adds extra sugar and even marshmallows so that it was sweeter. Then he would make extra crispy toast for me to dip my oatmeal in."

"Interesting," Riku murmured.

Taking Riku's comment as encouragement, Sora carried on saying, "My dad has this knack for cooking. Even though he doesn't look like he could fry an egg, he could really whip up a good meal. My dad said that he learnt how to cook out of survival."

"..."

"He works in the military and they have to go for all these missions and all. My dad says that the food they serve at camps should come with a warning label because it tastes so bad!"

"..."

"And since my dad is a very picky eater, he had to learn how to cook so that he wouldn't starve to death!"

"You miss him don't you?" asked Riku perceptively.

"Huh?" Sora was confused.

"Your dad," Riku explained further.

"Why... why would you think that?"

"In the past two minutes, you have mentioned your 'dad' six times."

Guilty as charged, but Sora was too stubborn to admit that he missed his father. 

"Why don't I take you home? You father must be worried."

"Don't you want me anymore?"

Riku sat down next to Sora and took the other boy's hand into his own. Looking into the clear blue pools of Sora's eyes, Riku said, "How can I not want someone as adorable as you?" With his thumb, Riku wiped the cream off the corners of Sora's lips. "But, running away from our problems isn't a solution. I shouldn't have agreed to take you here in the first place."

Tears welled up in Sora's eyes at Riku's gentle gesture and words of regret. "I am sorry Riku! I shouldn't get you involved in my problems."

"No, I am glad I am the one you turned to when you were troubled. At least, I finally got the chance to meet you."

"Riku..."

"Hush, let me finish. I am glad that we got to spend this much time together. If you didn't decide to run away from home, I would never have had the courage to meet up with you. But... I think it is time for me to let you go, even if I don't want to."

Riku's thoughts flickered to the memories of the experiences he had shared with Sora in the past two days and he smiled. It was like a dream. Sora nodded and used a free hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. He knew that he had gone overboard running away from home together with Riku and it was time to make amends.

XXXXXX

The first thing that Cloud did when he found Riku sitting on a bench in the famed gardens of Kingdom Court was to heave a great sigh of relief. Instead of giving Riku a solid punch for creating so much trouble, as he had initially intended, Cloud enveloped the surprised boy in a tight hug.

Despite his seemingly nonchalance towards his brother's disappearance, Cloud had been really worried about his little kid brother. He knew Riku was more than capable of looking after himself but Cloud was still afraid that he would not be there to protect Riku from any danger, and thus fail in his duties as a loving older brother.

Their relationship was a pretty capricious one since their personalities and appearances were totally different. They would bicker over small, petty things like whose turn it is to buy milk or who was the one responsible for eating the last cookie. However, this did not mean that Cloud did not care for Riku.

In fact, it was Cloud who stood up to their mother and fought for the right to move out of their family home, taking Riku with him. If the two brothers had one thing in common, it was their mutual dislike of their mother. She had controlled Cloud for almost all his life and he did not want Riku to become just another pawn to be used by their mother to further the family business. Thus, to protect Riku, Cloud was nearly disowned by their mother. Thankfully, their older brother stepped in and saved them from becoming destitute. Laguna had given an upper class apartment to them and the Ferrari was a birthday gift to Cloud. (Laguna, a car fanatic, passed off his Ferrari to Cloud so that he could have an excuse to buy a new Porsche.)

Cloud's pride did not allow Laguna to provide for him and Riku more than he already did. Thus, he took up modeling jobs and other part-time jobs to earn money for their living expenses and Riku's college fees. For someone who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Cloud having to work constantly (and very willingly) just to make ends meet was a strange miracle.

Riku knew Cloud was doing all this for his sake and the guilt was killing him. Riku, who was still a freshman in college, felt indebted to his brother. He wanted to give up school so that he could help pay the household bills but Cloud would not hear any of it. All Cloud wanted was for Riku to get his degree and become independent (and free from their mother's evil clutches). Riku, on the other hand, wished he were able to free Cloud from the burden of working long hours just to make sure he was able to make it through college.

The reason why the brothers did not seem to agree with each other is because they were both too stubborn. Cloud would not let Riku sacrifice his education just to make the financial burden easier and Riku did not understand why Cloud would not let him do so.

Ironically, Cloud and Riku's relationship soured purely because of how much they cared for each other. In their little obstinate ways, they were actually thinking and concern about each other's well being. Perhaps, this was the wonder of _brotherly _love?

XXXXXX

"Excuse me?" A spunky brunette prodded Cloud's side. "I think Riku can't breathe."

Cloud released Riku and ruffled his little brother's silver hair saying, "I will deal with you once we get back home. Now, introduce me to the person you kidnapped."

Riku scowled, but there was a telltale blush dusted upon his pale skin and this betrayed his emotions. He would rather chop off his prized locks then let Cloud find out that Riku actually felt elated at his older brother's loving gesture. He could really feel that Cloud cared for him through that literally breathe-taking hug and it touched him deeply.

"Cloud, this is Sora. Sora this is my brother, Cloud."

"Nice to meet you Sora. Leo-...Your father is very worried about you." Cloud shook Sora's hand with a smile that faltered when he thought of Leon.

Sora was just about to speak when a fire attack shot past right in front of his face.

"What the hell?!" exclaimed Cloud as the trio moved to avoid more attacks from the strange blobs of black that suddenly rose from the ground.

Cloud's Buster sword appeared just in time to fend off half a dozen black 'things' that attacked him. Riku and Sora stood back to back in defense stance as their Keyblades were summoned. No matter how many enemies they got rid of, more appeared to replace them. The trio was sorely outnumbered.

"Riku! Your brother needs a potion!" Sora shouted.

Riku nodded and tossed Cloud a potion to boost his fallen health points.

"I will use magic to distract the Heartless and I want you to run Sora!" Riku ordered.

But Cloud would not stand for any of this and overrode Riku's order, "Riku, you get Sora out of here, I can handle these creatures!"

Riku wanted to argue but Sora's health points were steadily decreasing. The brunette was still unable to use his new Keyblade well. He had to get Sora out of the battle before the younger boy suffered more injury.

"What are you waiting for?! GO!" Cloud shouted as he sliced two shadow creatures into two.

Without any more hesitation, Riku grabbed Sora by the waist and they ran out of the gardens. When the black creatures attempted to follow, Cloud blocked them and allowed the two boys to run to safety. But Cloud was only one man against more than a dozen strange creatures that just would not disappear regardless of how he sliced and diced. Cloud thought that he had finally defeated all the vicious little creatures when they suddenly disappeared but he should have known it was just too good to be true. In place of the tiny shadow creatures, was a large and stronger 'thing' that Cloud knew was far beyond his ability to defeat.

Just as Cloud saw his life flash before his eyes and anticipated a horrible death, the boss creature made a noise that sounded vaguely like a scream. Cloud opened his eyes to see Leon wielding his Gunblade with expert ease against the enemy.

"Catch!" Leon yelled as he tossed a bottle of mega-potion to Cloud. The blond gulped down the energy restoring liquid and felt the pain and exhaustion of fighting disappear.

Leon shot a lightning attack against the boss creature as Cloud regained his strength.

"I'll use another another magic attack to distract it while you attack it's chest. Understand?" Leon commanded.

"Right!"

Cloud could tell that Leon was more experienced in a combat situation and fully trusted his decisions. While Leon waited to release his magic attack, Cloud stood poise to play his part in this fight. Then it came: a large ice blast that stunned the enemy and Cloud took the opportunity to deal a heavy blow on the most vulnerable part of the creature. The injured creature roared and retaliated with a devastating attack that nearly wiping out Cloud's health points. Leon quickly moved forward and finished the enemy with a Vortex.

The enemy boss collapsed and disappeared. Cloud could almost hear the victory trumpets ringing in his ears. Exhilarated, the tired blond used the last of his energies to run up to Leon and throw himself around him.

"You did it!"

Leon smiled and responded by wrapping his arms around the battered blond.

"No, we did it."

Feeling Leon's warmth surrounding him, Cloud finally relaxed and passed out.

XXXXXX

"_Do you think he is alright?"_

"_Don't worry, he won't die that easily. My brother isn't that weak."_

"_But... that injury looks really bad. It looks like it hurt."_

"_Humph. Cloud can handle the pain. But he will probably cry if the wound leaves a scar, especially when it is on his face."_

"_He has very smooth skin... hmm... no wonder he is model."_

"_You... think Cloud is good-looking?"_

"_Yeah, he is kinda hot."_

"..."

"_I like his hair."_

"_I don't look good with spikey hair."_

"_Huh?"_

"_I mean, don't you like... straight hair?"_

"_My dad has straight hair. A bit curled at the ends but still pretty straight."_

"_What about straight and very light blond, almost silver coloured hair?"_

"_Hmm... You mean like the kind old people have?"_

"_Old people?!"_

"_Riku! Where are you going? I was just joking about the hair."_

"_Really?"_"_Yup, and I think you are hot too!"_"...""_And very adorable when you get embarrassed like that."_"_Sora..."_"_Ha... you are so fun to pl- RIKU! Your brother is waking up."_

"_I'll go call your father." _

Cloud woke up drowsily to find himself in an unfamiliar room. He was lying flat on his back against a soft mattress and there was a thin blanket covering him. The fire ignited within the small fireplace in one corner of the room radiated a soothing warmth throughout the room. Cloud's vision was blurred and all he could see were the swirling dots of the wallpaper covering the room's ceiling. Just before he was lured back into oblivion, he heard a childish voice call his name. It tugged at his consciousness and he fought to stay awake.

"Cloud? Can you hear me?" Sora asked with concern laced into his words.

He slowly tilted his head towards the voice that called out to him. "Who... is it?"

Sora smiled brightly, glad that Cloud had regain consciousness, "Sora. Riku's... friend."

Cloud had just enough strength to reply with a weak, "Oh."

"I want to thank you for saving me from the Heartless." Sora explained further when a perplexed look reflected Cloud's confusion, "Those black creatures that attacked us in the gardens. They are called the Heartless."

Just as Sora was about to launch into his description about the dark creatures, Leon stepped into the room with Riku close behind.

"Dad!"

Leon held a finger to his lips, cautioning his son to kept his voice down. Sora responded by immediately pursing his lips together. Leon grabbed a wooden chair leaning against the room wall and swivelled it to face the bed Cloud was resting on before sitting down. Taking Sora's hand into his own, Riku pulled the younger boy towards him and led him out of the room. The adults need to talk.

XXXXXX

Upon seeing the bandage on Cloud's pale face, Leon felt his chest tighten. It was the same feeling that he got when Sora came home with a bruised knee or a cut elbow. The injured blond's eyes were half opened, and it pained Leon to see Cloud in such a sorry state. Fair locks fell free from Cloud's gelled hairdo and created shadows about his face. Leon instinctively reached forth to push the distracting locks away from Cloud's visage.

Feeling Leon's gentle touch, Cloud felt a jolt of surprise that jerked him out of his stupor. Uncontrollably, Cloud's dry lips curved into a smile and Leon smiled along with him. Perhaps it was Leon's presence, or it could have been the fact that the drowsy medicine was wearing off, but Cloud felt less lethargic and struggled to get into an upright position. Leon gently helped the injured Cloud up into a sitting position.

Cloud murmured his thanks before an uncomfortable silence came between the two. Looking away from Leon, Cloud stared at the golden flames dancing in the hearth. As his mind cleared, images of Leon's departure flooded his mind as well as the recent memories of a certain boy with naturally spikey hair thanking him with a cheery grin. Sora had been found. This fact rang through Cloud's mind and he realized that there was finally nothing holding him and Leon together anymore.

Previously, there were partners. They had to work together closely to find Riku and Sora. However, now that their task has come to an end, their relationship had degenerated back into that of mere acquaintances. This was what Cloud felt and the reason why he could not bear to look Leon straight in the eye.

Yet, if Cloud had the courage to face Leon, he would have seen that the expression on Leon's face reflected the uncontainable wealth of feelings he held for the skittish blond.

Leon hesitated before taking Cloud's hands into his own. He was not wearing cumbersome gloves and his bare fingers caressed the skin across Cloud's palms. Cloud torn his gaze from the orange flames and found a more dangerous blue fire burning within Leon's eyes.

This time, it was Leon who broke the silence.

"I only lasted ten-minutes before I turned the jeep around to follow you. Somehow, I just couldn't let you go... ..."

Cloud remained wide-eyed and silent as he tried to take in what Leon was trying to say.

"When I got here, I didn't know where to look. I was not searching for Sora. I was looking for you. When Sora called to say you were in trouble, I panicked. I ran until I saw you standing in the gardens, trying your best to defeat the enemy. I never thought that it was possible for something so serious to happen within such a short span of time. I should have said this before, but I was too dense to notice... that I was already too involved with you. "Leon smiled uncertainly as he was unsure about what Cloud felt for him and waited to see how the blond would respond.

Tears fell from the corners of emotional eyes and Leon moved closer to thumb away the pearls that contained pure happiness from Cloud's face. Cloud could not speak because of the joy he felt at finally getting the words that he had been longing for.

"We don't have to end here. Do we?"

"_Oh Leon..." _

He did not need to say anything else, since Leon understood exactly what Cloud was trying to say.

Pulling the blond gently into his arms, Leon whispered, "I think I am falling for you."

He allowed himself to be cradled in Leon's strong embrace. Cloud closed his eyes, blissfully contented to hear Leon's declaration.

"Don't worry. I am falling with you."

XXXXXX

_Sora sat on a stone ledge, his head on Riku's shoulder. Together, they were watching the sunset. _

"_I can't believe that your brother likes my dad."_

"_Your father seems to like Cloud too."_

"_Ya... Maybe that is why I didn't get a lashing from him. We unwittingly played matchmaker didn't we?"_

_Riku nodded. _

"_If they start going out... that means we get to see each other a lot more often right?"_

"_I hope so."_

"_I never saw him look at anyone that way...'_

"..._?"_

"_The way my dad looks at Cloud."_

"_What about it?"_

"_It reminds me of what I see when you look at me."_

XXXXXX

When Cloud removed the bandage from his face, he saw that the wound had healed but it left a faint pink slash in its wake. He sighed and walked away from the mirror.

Picking up his favourite red jacket, Cloud put it on as he headed towards Riku's room. Without knocking, Cloud swung the door open and walked into his brother's bedroom. Riku was busy packing the last of his things into the cardboard boxes provided by the moving company.

"Aren't you done yet?" Cloud asked impatiently.

Riku did not bother to look up when he answered, "Unlike you, I pack everything neatly and don't just throw in anything that will fit."

Cloud pouted, then reached out to mess up Riku's sliver hair. Riku yelped and jumped away. Cloud smiled.

"You better hurry up then, the movers will be here in the afternoon."

Riku replied blankly, "Whatever..."

Sora surprised Riku and Cloud when he strolled into the room.

"I hitched a ride with my dad," explained Sora. "I'm here to help you pack."

"Leon's here already?" Cloud asked excitedly.

Sora nodded. "My dad is waiting downstairs for you."

Eager to see Leon again, Cloud muttered a quick good-bye before he made his exit. Riku watched his brother leave before he turned to Sora and said, "I am almost done. Take a seat."

Sora took up the offer and sat down onto Riku's bed. He watched as Riku taped up a cardboard box and used a thick black marker to write notes about its contents. Riku frowned when he made a spelling mistake.

"You look so adorable when you are serious."

Riku felt his cheeks turn pink. The brunette had this ability of making him feel embarrassed with his blunt remarks.

"I can't wait to share a room with you!"

"..."

XXXXXX

Cloud left Riku to his last minute packing and was about to leave his apartment to greet Leon when he saw a familiar redhead walking towards him.

"Hey Cloud!" called Kairi.

"Hiya!"

"I heard you are moving..."

"Yup, the movers will be over at three."

"So soon?"

Cloud shrugged his shoulders as he said, "The lease is almost up and we can't afford to renew the contract."

"Oh..."

"Well, I am going go meet up with my boyfriend now."

Kairi could not keep her curiosity to herself, "You boyfriend? Is he that sexy brunette that..."

Cloud nodded his head and flashed Kairi a grin. "He's my new room mate."

Kairi's blue eyes sparkled with interest as she questioned further, "Room mate? Does he have a kid or something?"

"Leon's place is pretty big and Sora is more than thrilled at having Riku moving over too."

"That is so cool!"

Cloud laughed, amused by the girl's adorable response.

"Well, I have got to go."

"Bye then!"

"See you around!"

XXXXXX

Leon watched Cloud get into his jeep and noticed that the white bandage was missing. "Has it been two weeks already?"

"Yup."

"It doesn't hurt anymore, does it?" asked Leon.

"Nah, it just itches like crazy. I hope the scar fades." Cloud complained to Leon's listening ear.

Cupping the blond's chin with his hand, Leon titled Cloud's head to the side and examined the light-pink scar.

"There won't be a scar if you keep that itch at bay." Leon said. Pointing to an angry slash across his own forehead, Leon continued, "Even if there is a scar, it won't be as bad as this."

Leon started up the jeep and steered it onto the main road.

"I love your scar."

"...?"

"I think I love everything about you."

The jeep screeched into a stop.

"I love you Leon."

**The End**

_... or is it?_

* * *

**Dcal's note:** Hee... how, did you like it? This story is finally over. Leon and Cloud got together! Yay! There are some things that I just want to clarify... Cloud and Riku are really brothers in this alternate universe. Both were born into wealthy family. The reason they dislike their mother, is because her life revolves around her career and uses her sons as investments. Thus, to break free from their mother's control, Cloud confronted his mother and left home, taking Riku with him.

Leon is actually Sora's uncle. When Sora's mother, Leon's elder sister, died together with her husband in a car crash, Leon was the next of kin. This happened when Sora was really young and thus instead of calling Leon 'Uncle', Sora calls Leon 'Dad'.

This universe is kind of like a mix between the worlds of the KH Game with elements of the real world.

Oh well. I am glad I finally wrapped this up. Maybe I will write a sequel to this in the future... but the focus would be on Riku and Sora this time... I think they are longing to appear more than just in italics...


End file.
